Receiver for polk audio set up
davineC
Posts: 21
in Electronics
I need help finding an affordable receiver for my older tower speakers. they are big polk audios. 2 on each side. My old receiver broke. I want one i can connect my phone Bluetooth. Question is what do I look for to handle these speakers? I like to turn it up loud. 
Best Answer
-
These tutorials and pictures will show just how simple speaker wire connections are. Like Clip/Drew said...It's just 2 things...+ goes to + and -goes to -. + can be RED, White, and all kinds of things as long as YOU determine what you want + to be. One picture shows the general acceptance of what most people, including us, and the audio world agree on, which seems cool.
It's only + & -. Recivers have had + & - labeling the speaker polarity hook-up ports/knobs beside each bank on their backside for 100 years.
Speakers have + & - printed on the hook-up plates, too. Sometimes, maybe just the RED and BLACK ring around the binder knobs.
BASS is a lot BETTER when all speakers are wired right.
Enjoy this wiring 101.
https://youtu.be/A1P6s7_ipzw
https://youtu.be/9SPA0s4Q4qQ
https://www.the-home-cinema-guide.com/how-to-connect-speaker-wire.html
Enjoy the better sound that's about to rock your world, as you know your speakers will be wired right and your receiver will power them beautifully and powerfully too.
P.S.
Just don't ask an amp or receiver to power more speakers than it was/is designed for. Multiple wires hooked to one terminal nut are forbidden 99% of the time.
Goodnight.
Oh, Goodwills are GREAT places for receivers IF they give you a day or two to test them at home.
Post edited by Tony M on
Answers
-
2-channel or do you want an AVR? Pretty much anything other than an entry level receiver will do fine. Pick your budget, look at your local FB/Craigslist marketplace and do some research on whatever you find. Most receivers have a dedicated thread at AVSForum. I have a preference for Pioneer Elite with the class D amps, because they run cooler, but Denon, Sony, Yamaha, Onkyo and Marantz all made good products too. HDMI switching and inputs tend to be the weak links in many AVRs so test before you buy.
If your shopping new, checkout AC4L.com for refurbished models that often carry the same warranty as new. -
What brand equipment do you seek to replace?
I admit this is a stretch, if you’re accustomed to its* sound signature or timber. OTOH those towers appear to be RTi8; I don’t recognize the bookiesSamsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro, Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer
Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside
BJC 10 ga - LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
*soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop)
LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels*. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - RB981*
Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981* -> Bi-amped CSi A6
Surrounds: Rotel 981* -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3
*all connected w/Premiere ICs
5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”
Power Conditioning & Distribution:
4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s -
The dropped/busted AVR is a Denon. The Polk bookies are either the S10 or S20.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Once again, a first poster never responds...
-
Billbill I couldn't get back in this dam thing 😭 now I'm trying to figure it out, give me a minute lol
-
Ok you guys, Idk if there's a way to respond to individual comments somehow but I can't figure it out lol anyhoot I'm reading everyones comments and of course I am completely fkn clueless 😆 sorry, we got this stuff at goodwill years ago, my ex bf was into it a little.
All I know is I figured out through trial n error where to put the wires to make the sound come out 😂 sorry. I can tell you this amp is a Denon AVR 1513 surround receiver, however it would overheat if i put the volume over 72. Idk if that's because its not enough amps for the speakers or the shiesty hook up of the wires lol. -
Heres the pic of the speaker models and wires, idk ish about tbh so I'm sure it looks crazy lol.
M
-
I just need to know if there's a reciever that does bluetooth connection to the phone, i don't want to mess with aux cables and not looking to spend much. I know bluetooth gonna be a lil more or I'd just look for another at goodwill.
-
Is there a specific wattage or output I need to look for?
-
Your speaker cables leave a lot to be desired and the way they are connected is a serious mess.
Do you have a local audio friend that could help you?Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Are you running the left and right channel to one speaker?
👀- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Same color wire for both positive AND negative.....full stop! That is just asking for the magic smoke to jump out ...
-
Davine, there should only be one pair of wires running to each speaker from the receiver. I think you need to find some tutorials online or something to help you sort out that wiring. That looks like the type of wiring that will short out and kill the electronics.
If you are still looking for a recommendation, just about any new receiver will take a Bluetooth connection.
Here is a place to start. https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html
-
She doesn't have the jumpers installed on either speaker and the speaker that only has two blue wires going to the top binding posts is not even driving the woofers. It's a mess.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Idk what's going on there tbh guys... all I know is that was the only way the sound would come out lol in aux mode. Hes the one that originally hooked it up that way but the right ones little piggy backers might have got lost while moving so i just stick em in there 🤷🏻♀️ i tried them separately wouldn't work, just those port hles work for some reason, probably the reciever, i figured something is messed up more because i can turn it on but now it shuts down fast like when it overheats red light flashes on button
-
I guess i can undo it all and start over to see but the thing looks crazy anyway so rather get a new one.
-
The Polk bookies are either the S10 or S20.
Looks too small for S10's and the S20's have a logo under the mid-woofer, I'd guess S15.
I guess i can undo it all and start over to see but the thing looks crazy anyway so rather get a new one.
That's a good plan. The RTi8's normally have a set of shorting clips between the lower and upper binding posts like shown. One speaker has a set of wires between the two to replace the clips but you need to do something for both towers.
You should connect the Bookshelf speakers to separate channel outputs on this or whichever avr/receiver you replace it with.
The best deal I can find right now is Costco selling a Denon AVR-X1700H for $400 which is a last years entry level AVR but solid.
-
Jumpers, not shorting clips.
Ha, I didn't know there is an S15.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Jumpers, not shorting clips.
Right, functionally the same but I was having a mental block at that moment as to how to describe them.
-
Thanks guys, yea small ones are s15 and towers RTi8, Ill look into the wiring better once I find a new receiver for sure.
-
Thanks steve I'll check it out so I know what I'm looking for.
-
I need help finding an affordable receiver... My old receiver broke.]
Over the side of your ex-boyfriends head? I would have recommended a chair or frying pan. Start by just hooking up a single pair of speakers. Find the correct jumpers for the RTi8's. Then if that works and you feel the need for a second set of speakers run separate wires for the S15's off the surrounds outputs (unless you can find another receiver at Goodwill that has Speaker A and Speaker B connections.
Good luck!Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
Hey guys guess what I found in the garage today? 🥴
-
Also found the culprit for the trusty dusty busted denon constantly shutting off. Looks like I get to milk it a bjt longer until I find a replacement 😁 thanks for the help everyone.
-
Looks like someone was making or had made jumpers to replace the binding post plates. -
-
-
-
How's it sounding?2ch rig: Speakers: Magnepan LRS w/Magna Riser stands Preamplifier: Parasound P5 Amplifier: Parasound A23 CDP: Pioneer DV-563A Cables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp)
Standby: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods -
You might want to try some tape or the vacuum cleaner to pop the tweeter dome out on this one.
